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Country Matters
Country Matters is the sixth episode of the ninth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 10th September 2006. Synopsis Frank Hopkirk is found dead in a deserted timber yard by taunting school children, Otis Piggott and Dora Southerly. The deserted timber yard is a bone of contention between the local residents of Elverton; they are bitterly divided by plans to open a Goodfare supermarket in the village. Frank indulged in some of the local 'pursuits' and DCI Barnaby and DC Jones must try to discover who stabbed him to death and why. Plot There's friction among the villagers in Elverton where there is widespread disagreement over the construction of a large Goodfare supermarket. Those in favor see it as a convenient way of getting their shopping done without having to drive great distances while those opposed see it as the beginning of the end of village life. Emotions are running high, including a bout of fisticuffs at a village meeting. With all of this going on around them, DCI Barnaby and DC Jones investigate the murder of Frank Hopkirk, an environmental consultant who was in the village working on the supermarket project. He was found stabbed to death in an old mill but as the police investigate, they learn that he was something of a Lothario. In fact, several of the leading citizens of Elverton are involved in sex games, from role-playing to mild S&M, all of which the dead man happily participated in. Jealousy however played the major role in his death. Cast *John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby *Jason Hughes as DC Ben Jones *Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby *Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard *Tim Hardy as Frank Hopkirk *Juliet Aubrey as Ginny Lamington *Jonny Phillips as Orlando Lamington *Madeleine Potter as Celia Patchett *John McAndrew as Jeremy Patchett *Clare Holman as Rose Southerly *Sophie Stuckey as Dora Southerly *Kirsty Bushell as Rev. Suze *Antony Byrne as Gary Talbot *Elli Garnett as Tracy Talbot *Dorian Healy as Danny Piggott *Jack Crutch as Otis Piggott *Jackie Morrison as Miranda Harvey *Dominic Rickhards as Dudley Painter *Maggie Ollerenshaw as Mrs. Hopkirk *Miles Richardson as Sir Charles *Stuart Milligan as Mr. Hundsecker *Frank Mills as Ezra Galleries Body Count Giles-southerly.jpg|Giles Southerly Died in a car crash 3 years prior to the events of the episode. Frank-hopkirk.jpg|Frank Hopkirk Stabbed repeatedly in the chest area with a kitchen knife while immobilized due to having a stroke. Supporting Cast Rose-southerly.jpg|Rose Southerly Dora-southerly.jpg|Dora Southerly Danny-piggott.jpg|Danny Piggott Otis-piggott.jpg|Otis Piggott Orlando-lamington.jpg|Orlando Lamington Ginny-lamington.jpg|Ginny Lamington Jeremy-patchett.jpg|Jeremy Patchett Celia-patchett.jpg|Celia Patchett Gary-talbot.jpg|Gary Talbot Tracy-talbot.jpg|Tracy Talbot Susan-wicking.jpg|Rev. Suze Dudley-painter.jpg|Dudley Painter Miranda-harvey.jpg|Miranda Harvey Mrs-hopkirk.jpg|Mrs. Hopkirk Episode Images Country-matters-01.jpg Country-matters-02.jpg Country-matters-03.jpg Country-matters-04.jpg Country-matters-05.jpg Country-matters-06.jpg Video Notes The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes *Frank Mills - Death of a Stranger and Down Among the Dead Men *Miles Richardson - Tainted Fruit and Fit For Murder *Clare Holman - Ring Out Your Dead and The Miniature Murders *Jack Crutch - The Oblong Murders *Maggie Ollerenshaw - The Dogleg Murders Category:Series Nine episodes